


Double Down

by jessandl



Series: Casino AU [2]
Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Casino AU, F/F, Gen, Or at least I'm attempting a slow burn, Slow Burn Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught, sequel much?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2020-10-05 20:00:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20494499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jessandl/pseuds/jessandl
Summary: What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas...right?





	1. Our Deal

**Author's Note:**

> Don't mind me...just bringing this au back...

_ Seattle, Washington - Friday 6:15 a.m. _

Nicole was thrown from her sleep by the sound of somebody trying to bust down her door. Her frantic movements caused the woman next to her to stir some before ultimately falling back asleep. Nicole slipped out of bed and threw on the closest shirt within reach and a pair of boxers before closing her bedroom door behind her. 

“For fucks sake-I’M COMING,” Nicole growled as she groggily made her way over to the door, cursing whoever decided it was a good idea to bang on her front door so damn early in the morning. She didn’t even have time to draw a breath, let alone say a word when the barrel of a gun was pressed to her front--effectively pushing her back inside her home.

“Good morning,” her attacker crooned. Nicole took a quick mental note of the woman in front of her. Brunette, about the same height as herself, piercing blue eyes and a sharp jawline...oh--and a really big gun too.

“To what do I owe this visit?” Nicole slowly backed away until she fell into a chair. The woman smirked as she cocked her gun. The redhead held her ground, dark brown eyes staring down blue ones that held a mischievous glint. 

“On the contrary, I owe you...the name’s Wynonna,” the woman un-cocked her gun and holstered it before stretching out a hand that Nicole cautiously took, arching an eyebrow at the name of her...attacker? 

“Uh huh...have we met?” Nicole stood up slowly so as not to alarm this overly-friendly intruder. Both women froze when they heard the bedroom door open and sound of padding feet grow louder until Nicole’s overnight guest was standing in the living room with them.

“Hey Nic-hi there-I’m going to head out...I’ll get your shirt back to you sometime soon?” 

“Keep it, it looks better on you anyway,” Nicole winked, trotting over to the door and earning a kiss on the cheek from the mystery woman while Wynonna did her best to hold in her laughter. As soon as the door closed Nicole let out a sigh of relief while Wynonna clicked her tongue at the redhead.

“I see you’ve been busy...I really thought we had something going on, Haught” Wynonna arched an eyebrow and motioned between herself and the redhead, breathing out a chuckle when she noticed Nicole squirming. 

“Relax, we’ve never actually met. Though, you did get _ very _ acquainted with my sister some time ago. You know, petite...chestnut hair...hazel eyes...sweet as can be--until she let it slip that she was helping daddy dearest get rid of you. Well, that was the plan at least...I can see why all of that went out the window so quickly,” the brunette winked and Nicole could only wince in response.

_ Waverly? Holy shit…_

“You’re the FBI sister,” Nicole breathed, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and her body tense. Ready to fight or fly at any moment. 

“Finally picked the smart one, Waves,” Wynonna muttered just loud enough for the redhead to hear as she started towards the kitchen. 

“Don’t just stand there, I’m a guest after all--or do I have to hump your leg just to get some coffee?” Wynonna turned around to see a still-baffled Nicole standing still in the middle of the living room. 

“Guests don’t typically bust in at the asscrack of dawn and they sure as hell don’t greet the host with a gun fit for Dirty Harry.”

“Yeah well, by now you should have learned that our family is full of surprises,” Wynonna quipped as she surveyed the mugs in Nicole’s cupboard--opting for a large black mug that said “BIG DADDY” across the front.

“Speaking of...why are you here?” Nicole poured coffee for both women and leaned against the breakfast bar. It had been almost a year since she fled Vegas after Waverly confessed to setting her up. Memories clashing against the dam in her mind that had been holding back the flood.--at least the pain had died down to a dull throb in her chest rather than the sharp ache it once was some time ago. Nicole still kicked herself just as hard as that first night when she got back home--for being so stupid, so careless for letting someone know so much about her, about her world. 

“Like I said, I owe you,” Wynonna took a sip of her coffee, feeling mocha eyes on her as she set the mug back down. There was no doubt that this woman was still hung up on her little sister. Conversely, this still rang true. Waverly had been in a slump following an earful from their father about letting his biggest threat to his business just slip away. Wynonna eventually got sick of watching her little sister mope around and did some digging on the mysterious redhead that took one of the casinos on the strip for a cool half a million. 

“You helped Waverly, now I’m returning the favor. Pack your bags, Haught...it’s time for another Vegas getaway.”


	2. Can't We Just Talk? (Talk About Where We're Goin')

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wynonna is a bitch who loves to brunch and Nicole comes to her senses...eventually.

"No," Nicole said setting down her mug to cross her arms.

There was no way she was going back to Vegas.

“Funny, I don’t remember giving you that option,” Wynonna didn’t bat an eye as she took another sip of her coffee.  
“You’re out of your mind,” Nicole quipped.

“I know what I’m doing. I told you I owe you, so I’m bringing you back to your stomping grounds and taking all the heat off of you from that last job you pulled.”

“I don’t need your help, it was just a hobby.”

“More like a part-time career,” Wynonna said wiping her thumb over the excess coffee before it stained the porcelain.

“Six years.”

“What?”

“You’ve been coming to the Vegas strip almost every weekend for six years while studying at Brown University--of course, up until you moved out here and cut your flight time by 3 hours--smart move by the way.”

“I don’t know what-“

“You didn’t always come alone. Four of those six years you had a partner, Xavier Dolls.”

“Wynonna-“

“You two made a good team. Well, almost as good as you and my baby sister.”

“What are you getting at?”

“Call him, you two seemed close. If anyone is going to talk you into this, it’s going to be him.”

“No way, I’m not going no matter what.”

“Are you saying that because you’re afraid of getting thrown out of the strip on your ass or because you’re afraid of seeing my sister again?”

“Fuck you,” Nicole huffed and left the kitchen. 

“It doesn’t take an FBI agent to know that my sister already did,” Wynonna followed her out and found Nicole sitting on the edge of her couch, head in her hands.

“How come she’s not here?” Nicole finally broke the silence between them.

"I mean if I had made doe-eyes at some fine redhead just so I could turn her in to Daddy to save his business. I don't think that redhead would be particularly happy to see me, especially after I revealed the whole plan to her."

“As far as I’m concerned, she’s nothing like your dad.”

“You would be right, she’s the best of us Earps,” Wynonna let out a nervous chuckle and sat down next to the redhead.

“So you’re saying there’s no hard feelings?”

“Not really, it wasn’t her fault she got put up to that.”

“You’re a good person, Haught,” Wynonna stuck her arm out and awkwardly patted Nicole’s shoulder.

“Where’s your bathroom by the way? I have to piss like a pregnant race horse.”

“Down the hall on your left,” Nicole shook her head as she watched the brunette make her way over to the bathroom. She slid back on the couch trying to fight the smile threatening to spread across her face.

She could see Waverly again.

Nicole didn’t really know what to make of it. A significant amount of time had passed since they last met and of course, it wasn’t on the best of terms but she knew they both didn’t plan on things happening the way they did. Would it even be worth going back? Did she really want to take another risk and go back to a city where she was essentially a wanted woman?

“You got a nice place, Haught,” Wynonna appeared from the hallway, shaking her hands dry.

“So, before we catch our Greyhound, I need food and maybe some booze if you’re going to insist on fighting me over this.”

“We’re taking a bus to Vegas?”

“Like hell we are, we will be flying on the government’s dime. Thank you taxpayers of America who report their income, unlike you, naughty Haughty. Now, where’s the best place to grab brunch?"  
\--------  
Wynonna plopped down at the table while Nicole took her seat across from her. The auburn haired woman couldn’t help but notice that the elder Earp had looked over her own shoulder about four times now.

“What are you looking at?”

“Don’t worry about it--let’s get a drink,” Wynonna stood up from the table and waited until Nicole begrudgingly followed her to the bar inside the restaurant. She was no stranger to drinks at this hour, but she still tried to put up a fight when Wynonna ordered two Bloody Marys.

“Don’t get me one, I’m not drinking.”

“Funny, both of these are mine--get your own, Haughtpants,” Wynonna bumped Nicole with her hip before sashaying back to the table, double-fisting her drinks. Nicole followed her back to the table and stopped in her tracks when she noticed a familiar face sitting at their table.

“Are you sure you want to be sober for this conversation?” Dolls smirked. Nicole could only watch with her jaw slightly agape as Wynonna slid into the seat across from her old partner.

“Oh yeah, when I was having a tinkle at your place, I may or may not have lifted your phone to call the only person I know can knock some sense into you,” Wynonna kept her eyes on Dolls and gave him a wink. Nicole was fuming at this point and Wynonna offered her own idea of an olive branch by sliding a now half empty Bloody Mary towards Nicole. The redhead showed her gratitude with a blinding glare. 

“Start talking--Cole looks like she’s going to implode,” Dolls chuckled.

“She can hold it. I’m guessing she’s told you about my sister already?” Wynonna’s tongue struggled to wrap itself around the straw in her drink for a few seconds--her body warming once the alcohol finally made its way down her gullet.

“She’s been with a lot of people’s sisters so you’re going to have to be more specific.”

“Well is that so?” Wynonna snapped her head towards Nicole who was choking on her water.

“Do you want me to leave so you can continue your verbal foreplay or was there a reason for intruding in my home and dragging me to brunch against my will?” Nicole spat. 

“Right, anyway Haught-to-trot here was schtupping my sister, Waverly, before she swore off Vegas altogether. At least until now, because I’m trying to entice her out of retirement.”

“You really haven’t gone back for a year? That’s a bit dramatic don’t you think, Cole?”

"Just wait until you hear why." Interjected a very put out Nicole.

“I’m getting to that part,” Wynonna nervously tapped her fingers on the table, “my sister was a pawn in my father’s plan to shut Haught sauce down, little did we know, for these two idiots it turned out to be love at first fuck, so out the window went Daddy Dearest's plan because Waverly couldn't go through with it at the very last moment. One hell of a wake up call for her.”

“She let Haught off the hook?”

“After they hooked up, yes.”

“Sounds about right,” Dolls looked over at Nicole as she groaned and shifted in her seat uncomfortably.

“I get it, I’d be pissed too if I was tricked the way you were, Haught. But I can’t go to Vegas without you.”

“I’ll think about it-”

“I'm sorry maybe my tone was wrong, this is not an option,” Wynonna quipped.

“Bullshit, Cole-you have a chance to start fresh with her and you want to blow it because of what? Because you’re scared?”

“I didn’t say that-”

“You didn't have to, and given that you tend to be a complete dumbass about women, I've decided to overrule you on account of my being smarter than you. Now, go get your girl.” 

Nicole hung her head and laughed--she knew Dolls wasn’t going to let up...and neither was Wynonna. She carded her fingers through auburn locks and let out an exasperated sigh--signaling defeat.

“What time is our flight?” 

“I’m thinking early tomorrow morning, I want to do a little sight-seeing before we leave. What I do know is that I’ll need about four more of these before we even think about going anywhere.” Wynonna slammed her drink onto the table and belched quite loudly before heading over to the bar.  
\--------  
_ Seattle, Washington - Friday 9:06 p.m. _

Nicole placed the last item on her packing list in the suitcase. She could hear Dolls and Wynonna sharing a laugh in the living room over (more) drinks. 

Nicole missed this, having genuine company over and filling the deafening silence in her apartment. She has become a shut in since she returned from Vegas for what she assumed would be the last time. Now, she didn’t really know what to expect from this trip. It wasn’t enough to know that the tickets they bought were one way. 

“Hey Cole, you about finished packing?” Dolls leaned against the doorway of her bedroom, arms crossed over his chest and one eyebrow arched high. She knew that look, it meant that Dolls was getting ready to do one of his (in)famous life lectures.

“Pretty much, I’m getting a drink, do you need a refill? Assuming you and your new booze buddy have left anything for me,” she walks past him, making a beeline towards the kitchen.

“I’m okay, but I’ll join you,” 

_Great_

Nicole fixed herself a glass of scotch and headed out to her deck overlooking the bustle of downtown Seattle. Dolls hovered over the railing, fingers fidgeting with the glass he was nursing for the past hour.

“This is a good thing, Cole--you’re going the right way.”

“I feel like I didn’t have much of a choice,” the redhead crossed her arms over the railing and sighed.

“What if she doesn’t feel the same about me?” it was a question meant only for herself, but the words had already escaped her lips and hung there in the cool air.

“Then at the very least you get a free trip,” Dolls joked--he cleared his throat when he met eyes with the auburn haired woman and noticed a glint of hurt trapped in hers.

“I know this isn’t ideal, but you’ll work it out--with or without this girl. Just make sure you don’t come back with any ‘what ifs’ do everything you feel like you need to do and the rest should fall into place.”

“You might be right.”

“Of course I’m right, go ahead and try to argue with me, but I’ll bet money that I know you better than you know you.”

“Is that the same line you use on your kids?” Nicole playfully nudged him with her elbow.

“All the time,” Dolls sipped from his glass and glanced back at Wynonna whose head was bobbing against the back of the sectional in an attempt to fight off sleep and  
the inevitable hangover heading her way.

“I have no idea if she’s single so don’t ask,” Nicole breathed out, finding comfort in the fact she knew the thoughts in Dolls head. Even if she wasn’t able to interpret her own.

“Hey, I’m just being polite--she slipped me her number anyway so I already knew she was single,” Nicole turned her attention away from the skyline, resting on her partner with a sideways glance. 

“Don't worry, I know my way out. But you don't come back too soon---and bring the kids back a present this time otherwise I'll never hear the end of it.” Dolls downed the rest of his drink and spun on his heels, walking back into the living room with Nicole following suit, her eyes making their second orbit around their sockets. Wynonna’s head jerked upright as she tried playing off the idea that she was awake the entire time. 

“Make sure Cole comes back in one piece,” Wynonna tried to stifle her laughter, trying to decide whether Dolls was joking or not. 

“You’re already putting too much faith in me,” Wynonna maintained stern eye contact with the man until he was out the door. She peeled herself off of the couch and took a moment to yawn and stretch.

“Well, I don’t know about you but I’m going to bed so I have a fighting chance of waking up at the ass-crack of dawn,” Wynonna started to shuffle over to the guest bedroom but stopped short and turned her head towards Nicole, “hey Red?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

“For what?” Nicole turned, arms full of cans and glasses with a disgustingly sticky film she wasn't sure the dishwasher would be able to get off.

“For introducing me to your DILF of a friend, Dolls. If he wasn't already a dad I would be more than happy to try and make him one--goodnight!” Wynonna disappeared into the room before the redhead could even retort. Shaking her head after trying to organize the washer to full capacity without getting a drop of the suspicious aforementioned substance on her hands, Nicole walked over to the counter where their boarding passes lay. Doing a double take when she noticed they would not be arriving at McCarran International. Picking up the slips of paper, Nicole marched towards Wynonna’s room, flipping on the light before the older of the Earp sisters could even process the dramatic change in habitat.

“You wanna tell me why we’re landing in San Francisco and not Las Vegas?” 

“Right,” Wynonna sat up, her ostentatiously embroidered and bedazzled sleep mask still covering both eyes--allowing her to avoid the daggers Nicole was very obviously shooting at her, “We've got to make a pit stop in NorCal for some precious cargo."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ooh what are they picking up in NorCal? (;
> 
> It's about time right? I owe everything to Sam for being patient with my writer's block while also pulling me by the scruff of my neck trying to get me to push through said block. Additionally, thank you all for reading still! Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated <strike> because I'm terribly needy and love affirmation </strike>.


	3. What You Waiting For?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wynaught picks up their precious cargo and heads down to the desert.

_ San Francisco International Airport, CA - Saturday 11:26 a.m. _

Nicole clambers out to the rental car with enough luggage for a family of four. Wynonna is leaning against the passenger side with a cigarette hanging out of the corner of her mouth. 

"Lets light a fire under that ass...or is it crotch?" Wynonna said slinking out of the passenger side and slipping on a cheshire grin. Wynonna slips into the passenger side, effectively dodging Nicole’s glare. She throws the luggage in the trunk with a slam. 

“Christ Red, this is a rental, have some respect,” Wynonna lights her cigarette and leans back against the cool leather of her seat. Nicole takes another look at her incorrigible co-pilot before swinging her head to keep her eyes on the road and putting the car into drive. 

“Where are we even going?” Nicole doesn’t bother to try and see the look of mischief on Wynonna’s face.

“My alma mater of course, Stanford University.”

“You went to Stanford? Bullshit.” 

"Haught, look at this face, would it ever lie to you?" Wynonna cocked her head with mirrored aviators. All Nicole could see was her own reflection, and that raised too much of a cacophony within her own mind. 

So she did what she had been doing for the last year-kept her eyes forward and on the road.

\----------------

Cruising down the 101 sounded like a bad idea at first. The prospect of having to be in a car with her captor for longer than necessary was enough to make Nicole want to pull over and dive head first into the Pacific Ocean.

In all honesty, Nicole just wanted an excuse to end up on a beach instead of some college campus. Living in Seattle made her no stranger to the west coast, but something about the California sunshine made her develop a new appreciation for the view. 

“Let’s do DUI songs!” Wynonna pulls out her phone and Nicole hardly has enough time to protest before “Toxic” by Britney Spears is blasting throughout the car. 

Wynonna snaps her head towards Nicole and begins to dance--or as much as she can with a seatbelt is restraining her. Nicole laughs, her fingers tapping away to the familiar beat.

It wasn’t long until the redhead finally decided to join her in the second chorus. Eventually the seatbelt comes off and for a split second the taller woman is convinced that her passenger is about to hang out the window for a dramatic finale--thankfully the song ends before poor choices are made. 

“Your turn,” Wynonna puts her seatbelt on and pulls her phone out for round two.

“What the hell is a DUI song?” 

“Songs that you listen to when you’re drunk off your ass, it’s basically guilty pleasure songs.”

“I see--give me the phone,” Nicole holds her hand out but Wynonna smacks it away.

“You really think I’m going to let you use a phone while driving?”

“For like a second!”

“My ass, tell me the song and I’ll put it on.”

“That will ruin the shock value.”

“All this for a three minute song? Get over yourself, Haught shit.”

“Fine! It’s...Believe...by Cher.”

“I would be thoroughly shocked if you could get any gayer,” Wynonna taps the track on her phone and the familiar synth intro creeps through the car’s speakers. Nicole is singing right under Cher’s voice, cooly tapping her fingers once again until Wynonna is in her face aggressively singing, an invite for Nicole to follow suit--needless to say, it’s enough to get her to join in for the first chorus and put on a show for the rest of the song.

\----------------

_ Palo Alto, twenty minutes and several assorted hits from past decades later…_

Wynonna turns down Styx and sticks her arm in front of Nicole’s face.

“Turn here.”

“That’s not what Maps says,”

“Maps doesn't know shit, I said turn here." 

In response, Nicole turned perhaps more sharply than she should have, unfortunately for her, it didn't even jostle a hair on Wynonna’s head. She finds herself staring at the front of a dive bar.

“Shorty’s?” 

“Best place to get shitfaced after dealing with 8 am classes for the week...Thirsty Thursdays here were something else--anyway, let’s get a move on...Big Daddy,” Wynonna punctuates the end of her sentence with a smack to Nicole’s ass before swinging open the heavy door. Feelings of college coed poor judgment creeps into her pores and intoxicates her with nostalgia. Nicole notices she was not the only one feeling some type of buzz based on the crowd--surrounding what looked like a severely understaffed bar.

“Smells like they broke out the good whiskey just in time for our arrival,” Wynonna disappears through the crowd for a second and reappears at the bar...of course. 

“Come have a seat Haught--they won’t bite without your consent!” Wynonna pats the bar stool next to her and Nicole obliges.

“Why are we here?”

“You’ll see. In the meantime--look, I got you a drink this time!”

“I’m not drinking, it’s barely past noon.”

“Jesus Christ Ginger, time to snap that control of yours, have a mini vacation before we have to get down to business,” Punctuating her statement with a sip of some drink Nicole wasn't familiar with and a side eye.

“You must get a kick out of watching me squirm and struggle to figure out what the hell you’re up to,” a visibly agitated Nicole huffs out finally.

“No! No...a little...absolutely...yes.”

Stealing the citrus slice from the rim of Wynonna's glass, Nicole swipes a thumb over the lip of the glass--bringing it to her own and feeling the grains melt from rough granules into a sweet tongue coating syrup. 

“Thanks for the rim job I guess,” Wynonna swirls her drink, mingling the alcohol further into the already melting ice cubes--she’s looking for something, but Nicole can’t tell what--

“Here we go--I’m definitely going to love this.” Wynonna downs the rest of her drink, looking past Nicole and never once breaking eye contact with whatever was behind her.

“You couldn’t pick a better time for a little family reunion?”

_ Shit. _

Nicole feels her blood run cold and her stomach launch into the pit of her ass. Almost on cue, Wynonna stifles her laughter and straightens out her face.

“Hey sis, I brought you a present--all the way from Seattle...” the redhead has little time to resist Wynonna spinning her around in the bar stool and she finds herself staring into hazel eyes. 

Nicole braces herself for a whirlwind of emotions but realizes that her entire body feels numb.

Just numb.

_ Why? _

Waverly’s jaw drops slightly, her feet feel cemented into the bar floor and all she wants to do is run. 

“Hey,” she gives an exasperated smile and looks over at her sister--who is casually sipping on Nicole’s drink now. 

“I have a feeling my shift is over now, I’ll just let Shorty know,” Waverly’s fingers are unsteady as all hell trying to undo her apron.

“I’ll go with you to say hi, I am Shorty’s favorite anyway,” Wynonna slinks off the bar stool and turns to the stunned redhead. 

“Lemme see your game face, Haught,” Nicole narrows her eyes at the older Earp and feels the woman’s hands on her shoulders.

“Fine, just sit tight, or don’t--you’re as stiff as they come, you know,” she cocks a finger gun and winks at Nicole before catching up to her sister.

Waverly grabs Wynonna’s hand as soon as they’re out of Shorty’s office and pulls her to the side.

“What the hell are you up to? I haven’t seen you in months and then you show up with Nicole out of nowhere?”

“Relax, babygirl--it’s all water under the bridge I’m sure. She wouldn’t have come if she was a) still mad and b) if she didn’t still have the hots for you.”

“Did she say that or are you just pulling things out of your ass?”

“I’m making an educated guess after doing a bit of investigating,” Wynonna pushes herself off the wall and stands up straight when she realizes her sister is far from amused.

“Look, we had time to talk--she doesn’t hold what happened against you, we all know that daddy made you do it. He was really good about keeping us under his thumb.”

“Except I don’t feel any different than I did when I was his puppet,” Waverly turned away, clenching her jaw and cursing her tongue for the admission.

“Hey, you’re your own person now--you have only yourself to thank for that--you did it sis,” Wynonna reaches out for her younger sister’s shoulder but is pulled into an embrace instead.

“So, you couldn't tell me you were coming?” 

“Of course not, Waves--that would have ruined the surprise. The look on both of your faces was worth it.”

“So, what now?” Waverly looks down the hall, trying to see through the drunken bar goers so she could find Nicole. Her eyes finally land on a slender figure leaning against the bar, right where they left her. Waverly pushes down the feelings of warmth and hope bubbling in her chest, there’s a chance that Wynonna could be very wrong and Nicole probably doesn’t want to be here to begin with. There’s no point in investing in the idea of making amends, right?

_ Right? _

“We grab Haught to trot before she runs up my tab--and take you home so you can pack a bag--it’s time for a vacation.”

\---------------- 

The drive to Waverly’s place was short but it was far more excruciating than the drive from the airport with Wynonna. Nicole kept her window down the whole time in hopes that the tension would just blow out of the car and never come back. She wasn’t angry at Waverly anymore, rather it was the opposite. The numbness was still lingering in her body but she could venture to guess that her real feelings were looming over her, waiting for the right moment to swallow her whole.

Thankfully, Waverly kept her distance and commandeered the ten minute ride by lecturing Wynonna on the importance of keeping in touch...Wynonna showed her remorse by singing loudly over most of her sister’s speech.

Nicole breathed a sigh of relief when the car was finally in park, Waverly leaves the car with a huff and trots up the driveway.

“You wanna wait in the car?” Wynonna turned around and for once, it seemed to Nicole that the older Earp was being considerate. 

“I’m good, seems like I won’t have much time away from either of you on this trip--might as well get used to it.”

“You sure?” Nicole looks up from her hands, giving her enough time to settle into her poker face. 

“Are you? It looked like you guys still had some things to talk about back at Shorty’s,” Nicole catches the slight falter in Wynonna’s expression.  
“We’ve been here not even two hours and you already can’t keep your eyes off my sister, Haught? I thought you were a professional,” Wynonna clicks her tongue and smirks at the redhead, “come on, her roommate has a dog,” Wynonna says, already rounding the front of the car while Nicole drags herself out of her seat and up to the front entrance. 

The pair is quickly greeted by a harlequin Great Dane, her big paws land square on the redhead’s chest. Nicole is too distracted by how close in height the creature is that she doesn’t have time to dodge the large pink tongue that blinds her for a moment.

Nicole can hear Wynonna snort with laughter--and footsteps approaching. 

“I’m so sorry, Dutchess loves meeting new people, ” Nicole wipes the last of the slobber from her eyes and sees a man standing a few steps away. His smile is warm and his hair is quite curly, the mustache doesn’t help his baby face, however. 

“I’m Jeremy,” the young man juts out his hand and she gives it a firm shake, almost too firm for his liking. 

“I’m Nicole, otherwise known as Wynonna’s hostage,” Jeremy’s eyes widen and Wynonna puts an arm around him, either for a hug or to cut off his carotid artery.

“She’s hilarious. Carrot Top here is actually a comedian--she’s going on tour and I have the honor of being her bodyguard-” Waverly appears at the top of the stairs and Wynonna squeezes Jeremy a little tighter before pushing him away to make her escape.

“Finally! Hey Jer--it was nice seeing you, tell Robin I say hi!”

“Wait--Waves, where are you--”

“She’ll call you!” Wynonna pushes both women with such force that even Nicole is surprised by her strength for a brief moment before she is back in the car once more. 

“Wyn, you never said where we’re going,” Waverly says, closing her door and clicking her seatbelt.

“Palm springs, obviously,” Wynonna never takes her eyes off the road but she can feel eyes burning into the back of her seat and flanking her from the passenger side as well.

“If we are driving then I need to get the hell out of this car.” Nicole protests, her head slumps against the headrest, already exhausted from what could possibly ensue on a seven hour drive with Wynonna.

“If we were driving down I would definitely not be behind this wheel--we’re going back to the airport.”

\----------------

_ Palm Springs International Airport - 5:36 pm _

Nicole made sure to grab a luggage cart this time.

The flight down was less painful than she anticipated. Wynonna gave her the option of choosing a seat elsewhere so she could catch up with her younger sister. Nicole had never been more delighted to spend the hour and a half flight in a middle seat next to a crying child. 

"Where to?" Nicole asked tightening her grip on the rental cars wheel until she thought the skin over her knuckles would split from tension.

“Now you’re getting it--lucky you, Hard Rock Hotel is only 10 minutes away,” Wynonna leans her seat back until Waverly slaps the headrest in a feeble attempt to keep her sister from monopolizing her leg space. She unclicks her seatbelt and moves to the center seat, folding her hands in her lap before shooting her sister a look.

These past few hours had been weird for lack of a better term. Wynonna just showing up out of the blue...and bringing Nicole too.

_ Nicole. _

It was a tense reunion to say the least. She kicked herself for saying less than two sentences worth of words to her. 

What the hell was she supposed to say to her anyway?

_ Hey Nic, long time no betrayal. I finished my doctorate debt-free thanks to you...I’ll be sure to send a fruit basket sometime down the road when I figure out whether or not you still hate me. _

Waverly wrings her hands until the car finally stops and she sees the entrance of the hotel right outside the window. She steps out and watches Wynonna toss the keys to the valet driver before heading inside with Nicole in tow. 

_ What the hell did I get dragged into? _

\----------------

Waverly drops her bag next to the bed closest to the window, she can hear Wynonna flop onto the other bed with a groan. 

“What now?”

“We’re meeting Mercedes for dinner...all of us,” Wynonna rolls on her side, propping herself up with her elbow.

“Hey,” she looks up at Waverly, her face soft, “Thanks for not putting up more of a fight with me about this.”

“You’re lucky I missed you.”

\----------------

Nicole had never been more excited to shower.

She ran her fingers through ginger locks, hoping that the hot water would wash away the agitation that had stretched tightly over her, clinging like a second skin of plastic film. Trying to press her into shapes she did not want to be. The strain of the past few days finally set in and her muscles feel well worn. Going to dinner is the last thing she wants to do but Wynonna won’t take ‘no’ for an answer. 

Nicole’s feelings were coming back to bite her in the ass and the mere thought of having to sit in the same vicinity as Waverly and act like nothing ever happened was already beginning to weigh heavy on her.

Neither of them had exchanged more than a few words to each other but the tension was thick regardless. It was enough to question if it was even a good idea to come out here with Wynonna in the first place. 

Because in all honesty, whatever Wynonna owed Nicole might not even be worth it.  
Waverly probably moved on as soon as the plane left the runway.

Nicole’s pruney fingers reached for a towel, wrapping one around her waist before using another to dry off her hair. She made the mistake of swiping at the condensation on the mirror, locking eyes with her reflection. 

For a second, she couldn’t recognize the woman staring back at her. 

She doesn’t have much time to dwell on it-- a loud banging at her door stops all trains of thought. She throws on a robe and opens the door just enough to confirm her suspicions.

“Yo, you almost ready?”

“Give me a few minutes, I’ll meet you in the lobby,”

“Oh no, I’ve worked with enough fugitives to know when a person is about to take flight instead of fight--incoming!” Wynonna doesn’t give Nicole the chance before she pushes into the room and jumps onto Nicole’s bed.

“I’m not going to make a run for it.”

“Right, and I didn’t put a child lock on the car doors. You say that now, but I have this sinking feeling that you’re having second thoughts about our little vacation.”

“I don’t even know what the fuck we’re doing, and to top it off your sister has to get involved?”

“Waverly--I know you know her name is Waverly…and the thing you need to know about us Earps is that we stick together.”

“I don’t think your dad got the memo.”

“Ouch, you’re right. Still, you’re just going to have to deal with Waves being here...do I sense some lingering feelings, Haught?”

Wynonna is answered with a wet towel tossed at her lap.

“Should have gone for my face.”

“I know expensive makeup when I see it, plus I might have dug around in your bag at one point.”

“Smart girl, we would have had a whole other mess of problems if you did...I went through consumer hell to get this gloss and highlighter.”

“I’m sure your fingers are scarred from hitting the refresh button so many times.”

“Just hurry up and get ready--I’m not about to make Mercedes wait because you can’t figure out which tie would go best with your brogues.”

“I wear oxfords, not brogues--is she an old friend or an old flame?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know.”

“Not particularly, no,” Nicole turns away, buttoning up a crisp white shirt and finally reaching for her suit jacket, glancing at the mirror inside the wardrobe and fixing her collar. 

“Ready when you are.”

“Not quite,” Wynonna sidles up from her perch on the bed and reaches for Nicole's shirt. Slender black lacquered fingers undoing the top button, and continuing on to the second. She continues with straightening the jacket before taking a step back to give Nicole a once over before nodding in approval. 

“There you are--now we can go.”

\----------------

Once at Melvyn’s, Wynonna makes a beeline for the bar with Nicole and Waverly in tow. Waving a manicured hand in an attempt to capture the bartender's attention, until her own is taken by strong, warm hands belonging to a familiar face.

“You little bitch, I knew you’d come here first.”

“Says you, come here!” Wynonna pulls Mercedes in for a tight hug and Waverly braces herself for the inevitable.

“And you must be Wynonna’s hostage,” Mercedes holds her hand out for Nicole to take, friendly green eyes peering at cautious brown ones. She’s in a black cocktail dress with a wicked sharp jawline.  
_ Wynonna has good taste _ Nicole thinks as she shakes the woman’s hand.

“The only reason why I’m not in handcuffs is because she’s saving them for you,” Nicole winks and Mercedes revels in the embarrassment radiating off of her friend.

“I have a gag in my luggage, you know,” Wynonna quips, shifting a little in her place from the sudden shift in topic.

“How about we have dinner before dessert? Besides, we have a burlesque show to get to after this.” Mercedes winks at Wynonna and leads the group to their table. 

“This is gonna be a long night,” Nicole mutters to herself.

“Only if you say please,” Mercedes gives her a playful nudge and Wynonna tries to stifle her laughter. Nicole rubs at her arm and looks up, eyes landing on Waverly for what will probably be the first of many times tonight.

\----------------

Dinner and the show were a lot less painful than Nicole expected them to be.

Mercedes kept the conversation flowing, as well as a steady supply of drinks. Turns out she and Wynonna went as far back as highschool and neither could get rid of the other even if they tried. 

Waverly and Nicole traded a lot of glances at the table, and stole more than they would care to admit. Much to Waverly’s misfortune, it was a struggle to keep her eyes off of Nicole. 

She looked so damn good in that suit and it was a problem for Waverly and Waverly only. 

Needless to say, the burlesque show was a good distraction for everyone.

As soon as they stepped out onto the sidewalk, Nicole could feel an arm wrap around her shoulders.

“Look alive, Red--we’re hitting the casino tonight.”

“Sounds great, count me out.”

“That’s not the kind of counting I need you to do right now.”

“Forget it, I’m not going.” Nicole can feel the grip on her shoulders tighten and Wynonna begins to slow her walking pace, putting some distance between them, Mercedes and Waverly.

“When was the last time you counted cards.”

“I haven’t touched it since I left Vegas.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously. Why do you care?”

“Because this is your thing, you went to Vegas almost every weekend since college--are you not going to tell me that you miss it a little bit?”

“I’m more than a card counter.”

“I never said you weren’t,” Wynonna says with the slightest hint of remorse. Nicole looks a little harder at the woman in front of her to make sure that she’s still talking to the same Wynonna that dragged her from Seattle and down the coast of California in the span of 24 hours.

“Listen, it’s only been about a year. It’s like riding a bike right? You can’t forget something that you basically made a career out of for years and years of your life. I know you miss it, taking off every weekend and pretending to be someone else for a bit--leaving your real life behind for just a few days. I want to give that back to you, and the best way to do that is to get your feet wet again.”

Nicole keeps looking for any warning signs--anything that even whispers to her that she should cut her losses and go back home regardless of the consequences Wynonna would have in store for her.

Much to her misfortune, Wynonna seemed to be genuine. Maybe this was going to be good for Nicole, getting back into the swing of counting--having something better to do on the weekends instead of bar crawling and binge-watching (and re-watching) the entire Netflix inventory (save for the rom-coms, obviously). As much as she doesn’t want to admit it, card counting has been an integral part of Nicole’s life, why give up on it so easily?

“Fine,” Nicole releases a year long tension through a long winded sigh. Wynonna pulls her into her side so hard that a wheeze escapes her lips--followed by a groan.

“That’s the spirit--now let’s get our asses to Agua Caliente and splash around on the wild side.”

\--------

Stepping into the casino was like a balm for a wound. The clanging of the coin slots the triumphant cheers and disappointed groans soothing her ears. The stale air filled with too much perfume and cologne assaulting her nose. The smoke in the air catching in her lungs. It felt like home.

“So, where to?” Wynonna patted Nicole’s shoulder, they meet eyes, Wynonna catching the faintest glint of something in the redhead’s eye.

“Blackjack, I’m feeling lucky.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Binonna am I right?
> 
> Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Easter and any other major holidays I might have missed during this hiatus(: 
> 
> As always, thank you for taking the time to give this a read! And thank you to my beta reader for giving me a deadline lmao.


End file.
